My Big Fat Queer Life: The Best of Michael Thomas Ford

by Michael Thomas Ford

The publication of Alec Baldwin Doesn’t Love Me in 1998 launched a fresh, vital voice in comedy. Publishers Weekly has called Michael Thomas Ford a "cranky, bemused, and extremely funny." Lambda Book Report has described Ford as "genially misanthropic," and Southern Voice has named him "our freshest, most fearless satirist." Ford’s series of My Queer Life books ( Alec Baldwin Doesn’t Love Me, That’s Mister Faggot to You, It’s Not Mean If It’s True , and The Little Book of Neuroses ) have racked up four Lambda Literary Award nominations, with two back-to-back wins, and appeared on bestseller lists from New York to Dallas to Sacramento. Now the best of his writing has been collected along with five new, brilliantly funny essays to create the essential My Queer Life -compendium. Raves for Michael Thomas Ford’s My Queer "Ford is a delightfully inventive wit."— Publishers Weekly "He truly entertains by being meaningfully hilarious."— Booklist "One of the funniest books I’ve read this year."—Kelly Justice, Carrytown Books—Richmond, VA; Book Sense 76 Pick "A fresh voice, unafraid to tackle any subject and tickle, if not outright hit, below the belt."— Rain Taxi Michael Thomas Ford is the author of more than fifty books in a variety of genres, including biographies and young-adult fiction. His books in the My Queer Life series have been national bestsellers and earned him two Lambda Literary Awards. He lives in San Francisco.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, LGBT, Gay, Queer, Essays, Memoir

299 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Michael Thomas Ford is the author of more than 75 books in genres ranging from humor to horror, literary fiction to nonfiction. His work for adult readers includes the best-selling novels What We Remember, The Road Home, Changing Tides, Full Circle, Looking for It and Last Summer, and his five essay collections in the "Trials of My Queer Life" series. His novel Lily was a Tiptree Award Longlist title and a finalist for both the Lambda Literary Award and the Shirley Jackson Award. He is also the author of the Sickening Adventures series of books featuring popular contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race.

As a writer for young adults he is the author of the novels Suicide Notes, Z, and Love & Other Curses, and under the name Isobel Bird he wrote the popular "Circle of Three" series. His work has been nominated for 14 Lambda Literary Awards, twice winning for Best Humor Book, twice for Best Romance Novel, and once for Best Mystery. He was also nominated for a Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Award (for his novel The Dollhouse That Time Forgot).

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was ohkay. but i mean, i wouldn't say that it was a page turner. at times i even contemplated putting it down. why? 'cause it was predictable humor-mill writing. at times as i was reading his excerpts i noticed the similarities and exaggerations in his writing. i began to predict when he would "become" funny which at times was contrived and overexaggerated. i was not that impressed.

[wickedfarmgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael whereever you are i love you. You won my heart when i met you on the boat trip in the Dominican Republic and then i came back to SF and found one of your books and it was all too perfect. i finally found someone who knew exactly what to write on every page to keep me in rolling in laughter. Keep up the good work!!!

[Amie Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I don't know why I'm so obsessed with male homosexual authors lately but I can't seem to get enpough of them! Its all I read anymore! And this one did not fall short! I look forward to reading another book by Ford very soon and will form a more definite opinion of him as an author, but so far so good!!

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of Ford's short stories, most of which have already been published elsewhere. Some were funny, some were political. Since he and I are about the same age, I could relate to many of the details of his youth, which made this a fun read. Interesting and entertaining!

[Jason Borowy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. It went fast and was an easy read. I don think I got lost while reading. My expectations where greater. So I have to remember to lower my expectations or best of all. Not have expectations. Good read though.

[Jdetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stronger collection of Michael Thomas Ford's work than the other one I read, but it's a best of book and perhaps that's to be expected. There's some genuine emotion in some of these pieces, and others made me laugh out loud. Well worth a read.

[Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

akin to sedaris, though I like it that ford is more than a comedic writer (which sedaris may be as well, but I haven't read all of his books to know). I definitely enjoyed the seven dwarf essays.

[Chere · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this collection very entertaining. I loved Ford's wit and the insight he reveals in his writing. And even as they made me laugh, I also found myself relating to a lot of the pieces.

[Daniel Cribb · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't really care for this book or his writing style. content was just ok for me.